Since the battle to stop the passage and adoption of the Nigerian Peace Corps (NPC) Bill in the National Assembly was lost and won, those who are not quite comfortable with what the corps stands for, have been bellyaching and biting their fingers in considerable regret. Determined to achieve their evil motive at all costs, they have been devising all manner of mischief with a view to either cutting the organization to size or whittling down its influence in a way that will make it near-irrelevant.
Recently, the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, was quoted as saying that the federal government was toying with the idea of establishing a National Guard to compliment the efforts of existing security agencies in addressing emerging security threats and emergencies in the country.
The minister said consultations would be done before any decision is taken in that regard.
He said the military was becoming increasingly involved in dealing with some security threats in the country which is outside their constitutional mandate while the police might be overstretched in dealing with such issues.
It would be recalled that during the public hearing by the National Assembly on the bill for the establishment of the Nigerian Peace Corps, out of about 268 memoranda submitted and oral presentations made, only four agencies, the Office of the Head of Service, Ministry of Interior, the police and the civil defence opposed the bill. The reason adduced for their opposition was predicated on paucity of funds. They argued that since the nation was in recession, it would be pretty difficult for the government to appropriate further monies for an extra organization.
Isn’t it ironical that the same ministry that opposed the establishment of NPC is now championing the cause for the formation of another organization, the National Guard, which may eventually turn out to serve as a private army for some desperate politicians, while also becoming an extra burden to the national treasury?
For all intent and purposes, the NPC is essentially a youth-based organization, whose core mandates include: To develop, empower and provide gainful employment for the youth in order to facilitate peace, community service, volunteerism, nation building, neighborhood watch, maintenance of discipline at all levels of educational in Nigeria and other related matters.
The NPC bill, when given effect by Mr. President, would enhance the dignity of the Nigerian youth as it would adequately engage them productively and redirect their untapped potentials towards nation-building rather than destructive tendencies.
It is thus not a duplication of any existing government agency but a body that when given statutory backing would serve as a reservoir and feeder structure to provide manpower for government establishments in times of need.
On the other hand, in other parts of the world, the National Guard, whose personnel is essentially drawn from existing military institutions, revolves around complimenting the services of existing security agencies in providing security at border posts and acting as reserve during emergencies.
It is a well-known fact that the recruitment of personnel for the Peace Corps is from virtually all communities in Nigeria and majority of the deployment is to the same communities. Therefore, it provides a form of community policing, which majority of Nigerians have been clamouring for, while also promoting peace and stability in the country.
Furthermore, at this time when all hands are enjoined to be on deck to ensure peace in Nigeria, the government should be seen to be at the vanguard of those promoting peace as it is more rewarding and less expensive to prevent anarchy and crises than to fight back anytime it erupts.
Rabiu writes from Bwari, Abuja
